Mercedes offers buyouts to all Alabama workers
Nearly 4,000 employees of the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Vance, Alabama, are being offered buyouts in advance of another expected round of production cuts at the facility in January. The Vance plant produces the M-Class sport utility, R-Class crossover and GL-Class full-sized sport utility for the Mercedes-Benz lineup. In July, Mercedes slowed production for the first time in more than a decade of U.S. production as rising gas prices in June drastically cut sales. Although the buyout packages are being offered to all employees, Mercedes spokespersons are quick to point out that these are not to be considered layoffs. In fact, the automaker will only hand out an undisclosed limited number of buyout packages as it makes changes to the plant to bring production back in line with demand.
Alabama has been hard hit this year by the global auto industry slump. The state's automotive industry is 134,000 workers strong, and the sobering news from Mercedes-Benz only adds to earlier production cuts from Honda and slowdowns from Hyundai, two other automakers with assembly plants in the Heart of Dixie.
[Source: AL.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark 12:12PM (11/04/2008)
maybe the GLK variants will save the day?
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AntBee 12:10PM (11/04/2008)
Boo hoo.
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Frank 12:33PM (11/04/2008)
"Although the buyout packages are being offered to all employees, Mercedes spokespersons are quick to point out that these are not to be considered layoffs."
I guess they're only layoffs if the domestics do it. Ok, got it.
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Steve 12:57PM (11/04/2008)
LOL...That's right Frank they are not layoffs!
It doesn't matter to MBUSA as the workers are expendable and they could not afford to purchase these vehicles anyway with the wages they are being paid.
The beginning of the shift of production and employment for the foreign nameplates has begun.
Made in China with Chinese parts and labor has begun. The trend has started and will grow and get worse.
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SHERRY 8:39PM (11/06/2008)
I WORK FOR A SISTER COMPANY THAT MAKES AND PAINTS THE BUMPERS AND BODY SIDE MOLDING FOR THE MERCEDES PLANT. WHEN THEY ACCOUNCE CUT BACKS FOR THERE COMPANY IT ALSO MEANS CUT
BACKS FOR ALL THE OTHER COMPANIES THAT
SUPPLY TO THEM. YES THEY MIGHT MAKE MORE MONEY THAT I DO , BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER
IS THAT WHAT EFFECTS THEM ALSO EVERY OTHER SUPPPLIER. THAT MEANS IF THEY LOSE THERE JOB
SOONER THAT LATER I WANT HAVE A JOB EITHER.
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